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VARIOUS ARTISTS
Shades Of Jobim (Concord Jazz)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
Concord Jazz put together a highly satisfying collection here. It has the thin layer of gloss that frustrates some jazz fans, but that's part of the Concord thing, so buyers either know this and love that element or they are willing to trade natural sound for knockout performances, which they get here in spades. This entry in Concord's The Colors Of Latin Jazz series honors the compositions of Antonio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim, the Brazilian composer and performer so legendary one only need say "Jobim" in most of the world, and simply "Tom" in Brazil and everyone knows who you're talking about. This is the man who wrote "The Girl From Ipanema," "One Note Samba," "Desafinado" and countless other classics of Brazilian music.
The late guitarist Charlie Byrd and sax man Ken Peplowski start things off with sweet uptempo version of "The Girl From Ipanema" that features constant interplay between the two and a very creative arrangement. Byrd was always so good that he finally stopped surprising me at some point, I think, though he never stopped entertaining me. Peplowski's a newer discovery for me, so what stood out, for me, was how this guy, who is apparently a clarinetist first, not only held his own on sax with the great Charlie Byrd, but stepped up with a solo that had to have made ol' Charlie grin from ear to ear. Excellent track.
The second track is particularly interesting because the leader is Hendrik Meurkens, a harmonica player, born in Germany, who studied in America, played with Byrd (who was definitely heavily influenced by Jobim), and also spent time in Brazil learning the style by playing in the local jazz scene, soaking up all those Jobim-rays. They're still everywhere in Brazil, 8 years after Jobim's death, so you can imagine what it was like when he was alive and active. Meurkens' performance of "Chega de Suadade (No More Blues)" is lively and exciting, and his frequent collaborator, Brazilian trumpeter extraordinaire Claudio Roditi, shines on this track, as well.
Karrin Allyson has two tracks on the disc, "So Danco Samba" and "Inutul Paisagem (Useless Landscape)," and it's no surprise that she is spectacular on both. What IS a surprise, and when you think about it, a pleasant one, is the fact that compilation producer Nick Phillips chose these two spectacular performances over the much more recognizable "One Note Samba" from Allyson's second album, Sweet Home Cookin'. It, too, was a great performance, but in choosing these tracks instead, Phillips does us the favor of introducing more Jobim music and at the same time makes the CD sound all the more exotic. In case you've never heard her, by the way, Allyson is hard to find superlatives for. Most of them just don't quite cover it.
Shades Of Jobim is one of those rare CDs that compel me to write a track-by-track review, something I try not to do as they tend to become feature-length, so I'll wrap up with a few quick observations. Suzannah McCorckle's two performances here are wonderful. This is the first time I've really sat down and listened to her since she took her own life in May of last year. What a tragic loss that was. I'm now reminded of how enormous her talent was, and I remember an interview she did where she talked about Jobim's music and its effect on her, the uplifting effect on the spirit one could experience from the beautiful notes this man put together. I wish she'd been playing Jobim when she needed it. This CD wasn't around then, but it's the kind that lifts the spirit.
The L.A. Four's version of "Dindi" overflows with talent from the likes of Laurindo Almeida, Ray Brown, Shelly Manne and Bud Shank, and other songs are graced with the presence of talents like Ali Ryerson, Manfredo Fest, Gary Burton, Randy Brecker, Allen Farnham and Jeff Linsky. Bossa Nova and Samba rhythms can be intoxicating even when done by a decent club band, but when you leave it to artists like these, it's going to be intoxicating and moving.
Track List:
The Girl from Ipanema (Charlie Byrd with Ken Peplowski) * Chega de Suadade (No More Blues) / To Brenda With Love (Hendrik Meurkens with Claudio Roditi) * A Felicidade (Happiness) (Susannah McCorkle) * Wave (Jeff Linsky) * Água de Beber (Water to Drink) (Manfredo Fest) * Só Danco Samba (Karrin Allyson) * Insensatez (How Insensitive) (Manfredo Fest) * Dindi (L.A. Four with Laurindo Almeida, Ray Brown, Shelly Manne & Bud Shank) * The Waters of March (Susannah McCorkle) * Zingaro (Ali Ryerson) * Inútul Paisagem (Useless Landscape) (Karrin Allyson) * Desafinado (Charlie Byrd)
© 2002 - DJ Johnson